1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to medical device coverings to prevent transmission of biological infection and contamination and more particularly pertains to a protective stethoscope cover for enclosing portions of a stethoscope which ordinarily come in contact with a patient who may have a communicable disease.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, the broad concept of having a cover for a stethoscope is known in the prior art. The following nine patents and published patent applications are relevant to the field of the present invention.
1. U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,456 issued to Elin on Dec. 17, 1991 for “Outerwear Garment For Ems Personnel” (hereafter the “Elin Patent”);
2. U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,898 issued to Gilbert on Nov. 14, 1995 for “Stethoscope Isolation System” (hereafter the “Gilbert Patent”);
3. U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,842 issued to Wiseman on Aug. 27, 1996 for “Protective Garment With Harness Access” (hereafter the “Wiseman Patent”);
4. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 376,043 issued to Rix on Dec. 3, 1996 for “Stethoscope Cover” (hereafter the “Rix Patent”);
5. U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,131 issued to Earnest on Apr. 22, 1997 for “Protective Stethoscope Cover Having A Head Cover Connected To A Body Cover” (hereafter the “Earnest Patent”);
6. U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,856 issued to Skubal on Dec. 28, 1999 for “Stethoscope Sheathing System” (hereafter the “Skubal Patent”);
7. U.S. Pat. No. 6,154,888 issued to Krohn on Dec. 5, 2000 for “Stethoscope Pocket” (hereafter the “Krohn Patent”);
8. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/0170771 A1 to Milam on Nov. 21, 2002 for “Protective Cover For Stethoscope, And Dispensing Assembly Comprising Same” (hereafter the “Milam Patent Publication”);
9. U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,527 B1 issued to Rivoli on Jul. 20, 2004 for “Medical Assistant Outer Garment” (hereafter the “Rivoli Patent”).
The Elin Patent discloses an outerwear garment which includes a tool holster panel that includes a plurality of pockets each adapted to receive a piece of emergency medical equipment. The garment is intended to be worn by emergency medical personnel and has a multiplicity of pockets in order to enable them to quickly reach into and obtain medical equipment for use in an emergency. With respect to the discussion of a stethoscope, as depicted in FIG. 1, hip length coat 10 includes a zippered upper right front stethoscope pocket 61. However, while the stethoscope can be retained in the pocket, it cannot be used while in the pocket and must be removed from the pocket and used in a conventional way.
The Gilbert Patent essentially discloses a stethoscope isolation system which includes a stethoscope sheath so that the stethoscope can be used while it is in the sleeve. Referring to FIGS. 1a through 1c, the invention includes a sleeve 1 wherein there is a first (2) and second (3) ends. The sleeve 1 has formed therein a cavity 4 for accepting the lower end of a stethoscope, the cavity being surrounded by a wall 5 of fluid, bacterial, and virally impermeable fabric, paper, or the like, composed of first (1) and second (11) sides. The invention discloses the concept of having a sleeve which covers the stethoscope so that the stethoscope will not come in contact with the patient but the doctor holds the stethoscope sleeve in his hand while examining the patient.
The Wiseman Patent discloses the concept of an attachment to a garment but the attachment has a harness access. Flexible harness conduit assembly 20 is attached to torso section 14 of the protective garment. Flexible harness conduit assembly 20 includes flexible harness conduit 21 attached at one end to a hole (not shown) through torso section 14 by means of attachment patch 22. In this case, the attachment is for a safety harness and it is not used with a stethoscope.
The Rix Patent is a design patent which is a stethoscope cover wherein the stethoscope is placed within the protective cover and the ear pieces protrude out through the cover so that they can be connected to the doctor's ears. Once again, this is a separate cover by itself and is not attached to a garment.
The Earnest Patent is also a protective cover for a stethoscope. The cover encloses a center sound tube and head of a stethoscope. The head cover can be extended over the head of a stethoscope and may be separated from or coupled to the center sound tube cover. A cover flap can extend over an upper end of the center sound tube cover and between lateral sound tubes of the stethoscope to include an unintentional engagement with hair. As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be shown that the sound tube cover 12 of the present invention 10 preferably comprises an elongated flexible sheath 18 having a transverse dimension sufficient to receive a head 20 of the stethoscope 16 therethrough during installation of the device 10 relative to a stethoscope. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, an alternative embodiment of the invention 10 may comprise coupling of the elastic neck opening 32 of the semi-spherical cover 30 to the elastic collar 22 of the flexible sheath 18. By this structure, both the head 20 and the center sound tube 14 can be fully enclosed within the present invention 10. However, once again, what is not shown is that the sheath is sewn onto a garment but it is simply a separate sheath which is separately handled by the doctor.
The Skubal Patent is also a stethoscope sheathing system which includes an elastic sheath and a retaining ring which is provided for a stethoscope having a head, a sound tube and an ear piece. The sheath has an open end for admittance of the head and a portion of the sound tube and a closed end. The sheath is sized such that the head of the stethoscope and at least a portion of the sound tube is enveloped by the sheath. Once again, this is a sheath for use with a stethoscope but the sheath itself is not connected to a garment.
The Krohn Patent does disclose the concept of having a protective sheath sewn onto a garment, in this case a pant leg, but the purpose is to simply house the stethoscope and it cannot be used in its operating condition when in the sheath. In the Krohn invention, a pocket is added to a scrub pant that is suitable for carrying an unfolded stethoscope. The outline of the pocket approximates, and is larger than, the shape of the unfolded stethoscope. The pocket totally encloses the stethoscope. The pocket provides a convenient safe and sanitary place for the stethoscope. However, the stethoscope cannot be used in its operating condition when in the pocket, and the stethoscope must be removed from the pocket when used.
The Milam Published Patent Application discloses a protective cover for a stethoscope which has an elongated bag and a closed first end and is either fully or partially opened at the second opposite end to form an enclosed container for retaining the head and sound piece of the stethoscope. The invention relates to a protective cover which is useful for preventing the stethoscope contamination and transmission of infectious organisms and other biohazards as well as to an assembly for dispensing the same. The protective cover article may be formed of any material, preferably comprising material that is acoustically transmitting and impermeable to bacteria, viruses and fluids. Once again, this is a protective cover for a stethoscope but it is not attached to a garment.
The Rivoli Patent is a medical assistant torso outer garment configured with multiple organizational pockets for securing and carrying medical instruments including a stethoscope. Looking at FIG. 8, the spacing of each double pocket 40 from the neck opening 22 and the vertical centerline 42 is selected such that opposite ends of a stethoscope 32 centrally placed around a wearer's neck would naturally come to rest in, and occupy a substantial portion of each double pocket 40. In this case, the garment enables a way to carry the stethoscope but once again, the stethoscope cannot be used when it is in the pockets and the pockets are simply meant to carry the stethoscope and cannot be used in the operating condition.
There is a significant need for an improved stethoscope cover which can be incorporated into a garment that enables the stethoscope to be used in its operative condition.